Any bird lovers out there? I have a question sm
Posted By: trose on 2007-07-23
In Reply to:
I have had to female (didn't want to deal with breeding, been there done that) Cordon Bleu finches for almost 3 years. My hubby purchased them for me for out 17th anniversary. It has been just the two of them in their cage since we brought them home and they hang right beside my desk so I can see them when I work. Last night we found 1 dead. The other one has been chirping continuously since early this morning. They are not extremely vocal birds (usually the males are) but they would normally chirp a little and would fly around quite a bit. I know Roxy is probably wondering where Velma is and that is the reason for the continuous chirping (including a weird sing-sing-whisthiling noise that I have never heard before). I have been searching on the web about getting another bird for her to have as company. I can't find anything definite. We brought these birds 3 hours from here as our local pet store only carries zebra finches. I haven't spoken to anywhere there yet but plan to. Does anyone have any suggestions? My heart just breaks for the lone bird but am not sure if getting another bird is the best idea.
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Bird feeder and bird food?
For the older ones somebody might need to keep it filled.
I don't know. Dog lovers are dog lovers. I know
in my case, with my brood, I didn't really enjoy all the effort it took to have someone care for the dogs in my absence, etc., to then be with even my family, who were NOT dog lovers, always had a deep resentment of my love for dogs and my choice of a lifestyle that was full of animals. We animal lovers sense it, and, in all honesty, I don't like to spend time with humans who belittle me and belittle animals. It just is a reflection of one's soul and temperament. So, my business was also dogs, and always did serve a perfect excuse for me not to have to travel and/or spend extended amounts of time with supposed loved ones who didn't really love me. You make your disdain of dog lovers very clear - and believe a dog is a dog is a dog. Your mom is probably way painfully aware of this, and you make her feel bad. Just pointing out to you how the other side feels. 
To all cat lovers.....
My SO will be moving in with me in a few months. My cat is male, 14-years-old, has never seen or been around another cat and rules the roost. His cat is a female, 8-years-old and gets along well with other cats. I have researched on introducing them but am very worried that my cat will not be able to handle the stress. SO was here for a month and my cat seemed to like him very much. I am at the point that I am having second thoughts of moving in together although my friends tell me I am being rediculous and I know I am - sacrificing my happiness for my cat. Can anyone give me some pointers? Thanks!
Any Starbucks lovers out there?
I am spending too much money on white chocolate mochas lately, and I'm wondering how I can make this myself. Obviously I need to get the expresso maker, but does anyone have a recipe or link to where I can get the stuff to make my own?
attn: cat lovers - you may not know -
My less than 3-year-old cat went into acute renal failure several weeks ago - he spent a week on iv's and we are still not sure he is going to make it. The vet couldn't make any sense of why - but one thing I learned although it didn't prove to be my case - is that lillies of almost every type - the absolute worst being Easter lillies - are extremely toxic to cats - all parts of the plant - so do not bring any lillies into your house - that includes day lillies, oriental, stargazers, callas. I've heard of other things but never this. If they are outside cats, English Ivy is equally as deadly.
Okay cat lovers - I need some advice!
I have a 21 pound Maine Coon cat who I'm told is a little bit overweight. Apparently, it is dangerous for this kind of cat to be overweight. So, the vet told me to cut back on his food a little. However, if I do not give this cat food when he decides he wants it, he starts going around the house knocking things over and just generally being destructive. Right now he's in my office chewing on my notebooks and tearing papers out of them. I've tried squirting him with water, which does not help because he actually LIKES playing in water. I have no idea if he is actually hungry and his tummy is hurting, or if he's just being a brat! Anyone else have a similar issue with their cat? Any ideas on how to get him to stop being destructive? He's obviously a big, strong cat and he does quite a bit of damage! 
Any chihuahua lovers out there?
A friend of mine has 2 chihuahuas that need homes. They're brother and sister, about 3 years old, fixed. The usual story, have kids, no longer want dogs. I tried to talk her into keeping them, but not working. I can't take them, cause my house is already full to the max of fur kids. They're located in PA. I would hate to see them end up at the humane league, but that's where they're heading. So if anyone is interested let me know. 
Dog lovers look at this link.
Can't you smell the puppy breath?
These puppies are related to the dog I lost recently. Breeder is in Tennessee, and I go to the sight for the puppy breath.
Of interest to Pet Lovers
Wanted to share a link for an email from my friend in Australia....
Calling all cat lovers - I'm at my wit's end
To make a long story short I need some expertise. My male cat was a sprayer before we got him fixed way back when. Then he decided to pee in our dining room and we took up the rug and put in a wood floor (this was quite a few years ago - cat is 11). Then he proceeded to pee in all the corners of the family room. We just had wood floor put on there and all has been well. Until about a week ago, he decided to pee again on the dining room wood floor, no where else, but he still uses his litter box. I had cleaned it with vinegar and it seemed like the smell went away and I thought all was well until I again caught him peeing on the wood floor in the same area more than once. My husband has had it (he destroyed a lot of things already from when we first got him). He is ready to take him away somewhere. I don't know what to do next. My husband doused the area with vinegar again. Anyone have any ideas? Anything that will keep him away, or any other tricks to get he smell out. Any help would be appreciated. Tonight will not be a very happy night.
OK all you animal lovers...
We have a Basset hound puppy, around 7-8 weeks old; we've had her a week now and she is going absolutely NOWHERE with her potty training. We are trying to crate train her, but she just can't get the idea. We take her out on a regular schedule, feed her on a regular schedule, and make sure she poopies and pees before she comes back in, but it never fails that she will, at least once a day, poopie in her crate...SO DISGUSTING! I'm at my wit's end and ready to give her up, but she's sooo adorable, I really don't want to.
Of note, I am not a huge animal person, can take them or leave them, but she stole my heart and I love her! I seriously am looking for some answers here. 
All you CAT/animal lovers have to see this one. SM
it is short but so sweet.
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2008/cat-adopts-bunny-p1.php
Any Music lovers out there?
My anniversary was last week, and I had no idea what to get my husband, so I made him a guitar pick necklace. He really liked it and I had two or three people ask me to make them one, so I decided I would make some and see if people liked them. Here's a picture of a few I made.
If anyone's interested let me know! Or if you have any ideas! I went to Micheal's this weekend and bought a bunch of goodies so I'll be making more!
Question for the dog lovers - cut pad of foot
My dog cut it's pad probably this past Sunday. He came limping home on Monday morning but by then it wasn't even bleeding. He is used to being outdoors (we live in the country and he can run free) and is about to go crazy because I have kept him either tied up or in the garage to give this time to heal. I have soaked his paw daily in warm salt water and have applied neosporin to it as well. It is looking good and there does not seem to be any infection, swelling it totally gone, and I can manipulate it without it causing pain.
This is on the main part of his foot and it is quite a slice causing a large flap to just kind of hang. A friend who had this similar incident said her vet had her apply ointment and then wrap the pay with masking tape to keep the flap against the paw so that it would heal shut. I have been doing this for the last several days. He will only keep it on there for 5-6 hours and then he'll pull the tape off.
Here's the question - is there some kind of product that I can safely use to "glue" this pad back to his paw? I know in surgical reports I have heard about a surgical adhesive that they use but is there something over-the-counter that I can get for this or even home remedy stuff to try. I hate for him to lose the substantial part of his pad and leave his paw prone to injury with more tender skin. I have been told that I can cut it off but I don't want to do that unless it is a last resort. I tried to "goggle" this subject and came up with a board where it was suggested to someone else for them to just use crazy glue and glue it back in place. That didn't seem quite appropriate! Hopefully someone can help me figure this out!
Need reassurance from animal lovers
Tell me I'm not crazy but my rental agent just called asking if I will be renewing my lease - I live in NJ and I pay 1300 a month. Since MQ took everything away, I just skim by with bills now. I had to say yes as my cat is 14 and is blind but in good health. He went blind in this apt and at 14, I would hate to stress him so much as he knows this place so well. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to keep up with it. Would anybody else do this for an animal?
Calling all coffee lovers!
I'm so excited! I signed up for that Gevalia coffee club and the UPS man just delivered my way-awesome coffee pot, coffee and accessories. My old coffee pot was an old white plastic 4-cup model that had started to leak. With this one I'll be able to auto-program it to brew my coffee in the morning so it's ready when I wake up. How 21st century of me, lol!
Anybody else subscribe to this coffee service or had their coffee? While I wait for my first pot to brew, I thought I'd see if anyone can weigh in on whether their coffee is comparable to the taste of Starbucks or other coffee brands.
TIA!!!
Coffee lovers: Here's another possibility
Anybody tried a little gadget called the Aeropress?
http://www.aerobie.com/Products/aeropress_story.htm
It makes a pretty chewy cup of coffee, and it's VERY easy to clean and maintain. And it's CHEAP! (Not quite as cheap as a cup-top filter thingamajig, but very cheap compared to a full-blown espresso machine.)
Ok, probably animal lovers might blow a gasket but
I have 3 cats. When I got the younger cats they were swimming in fleas. I would say they were maybe 6-8 months old. I visited the vet, got the medicine they have as in your posts and it just was not working. The cats were scratching themselves to death. While at the vet place 1 of the ladies told me if I got fleas in my carpet I could use Borax washing powder. A light went off in my head. I thought if I can use on the carpet, why not the cats? I was very careful about protecting their eyes but tried it and my golly, the fleas died almost instantly and they have not been bothered since then. They are now over 2 years old, brothers from the same litter. This was the most effective thing I had ever tried including all the flea remedies they have at the vets and pet stores.
Music lovers, check this out, inspirational! sm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA
Animal lovers . . If you have not had a good cry yet today SM
watch this very touching video.
http://videos.komando.com/2008/06/26/christian-the-lion/
Animal lovers... another great video for you!
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=yNy9jTeolUk
The lazy days of summer :)
I know there are a lot of animal lovers here, so I thought I would share...
Back in March I posted on this board about my lab puppy that died from parvo. After that happened, we bleached our house from ceiling to floor and poured buckets and buckets of dilute bleach on our yard. About a month later, I was approached by a neighbor who's boxer had had puppies and since the neither of the parent boxers were registered, she was selling them of $100 a piece. I've always wanted a boxer, but refused to pay $400 for a dog. So I jumped at the chance to get a boxer, but I was a little leery because of the parvo incident. So my hubbie and I again bleached our house from top to bottom and bleached our yard, pretty much killing the grass. We made sure the puppy had her first set of shots including a parvo vaccination and even made a point three months ahead for her second parvo booster. We brought her home and she did great. We thought we were successful at decontaminating our house. She was healthy and happy until about three weeks ago. She had gotten into the trash and got a hold of some raw chicken bones and then the next was lethargic and heaving like she wanted to throw up but couldn't. As luck would have it, it was time for her appointment for her shots and booster. So I get to the vet and tell her what was going on with her and even the vet agreed it was probably the chicken. So they checked her out and she had a temperature. So the vet said she couldn't give her shots, but they could do the flea treatment. Then vet asked me about doing a parvo test. At first I was like no way could she have parvo. She's been living in our house for four months now and is just now getting sick? But then I said just to rule out, let's do it. Well, she had parvo!
I was just sick and crying. I didn't want my kids to watch another dog die, but I didn't want to euthanize her either. She wasn't as sick as the other dog had been. She hadn't had diarrhea, just a little vomiting. I just didn't know what to do. I couldn't afford the $600 my vet was telling me would be the cost to hospitalize her and give her IV fluids and antibiotics. So I took her home and gave the sad news to my husband. Then I got mad and said there has got to be something else we can try. So the MT in me took over and I got online and started researching. I found a couple of articles where vets had tried Tamiflu in dogs with parvo and that the Tamiflu had actually helped. It had shortened the length of the illness, hindered the spread of the virus throughout the dog's intestinal tract, and made the symptoms less severe. Basically, given a dog a better chance for survival. Luckily (LOL) my entire family had had the flu back in February and I happened to have some Tamiflu on hand that my husband hadn't taken. I found that the vets had given the parvo dogs 1 mg per pound to the sick dogs twice a day for five days which in my dog averaged to about 30 mg twice a day. My Tamiflu was 75 mg capsules. So I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. So I did it. She wouldn't eat at first, so putting the pill in a hotdog wasn't an option. So my husband held her mouth open and I dropped a pill in and used a baby medicine dropper to squirt water into her mouth. Then we held her mouth closed and made her swallow. Day two, she seemed a little perky and actually got up to drink water on her own. By day three, she was eating tiny pieces of poached chicken and taking her pill on her own.
Long story short, we are now two weeks out from Sugar's 5-day Tamiflu treatment and she is 100% recovered! She is chasing the cat, chewing up my shoes, and just generally wreaking the wonderful havoc like she has always done! I told my vet what I did and she's going to do some research on her own and she may even try it on other dogs in the future. I just wanted to share my story here because so many times people think parvo is a death sentence or that the only thing to save your dog is expensive treatment that people have a hard time justifying. I also wanted to share how my career as an MT probably saved my dog! Had I not had honed all those researching and investigative skills we need as MTs, I would have never found the information that ultimately saved my dog.
I had a cat who once caught a bird...
in mid air. I saw it with my own eyes or never would have believed it.
Maybe it was a bird - a hawk!
My hubby saw one land in our back yard. I'm grateful my dogs are over 50 lbs so they can't get carried off. But a small cat? Maybe. I saw a red tailed hawk carry off a large cottonmouth snake once. Flew right over our truck hood. Loved it.
lonely bird
I've had all kinds of birds but only a couple types of finches, none of them Blues. I do know that finches tend to be colony birds and prefer companionship as a rule. I think she is probably missing her best buddy and she is also afraid because she doesn't know what happened. If there was any blood involved with the dying bird, this will terrify birds even more. (They don't even like it if you wear red nailpolish.) That might account for the odd chirping. It might be to your benefit to try to find out what the other bird died from because if it had anything to do with something that is still in Roxy's environment, this will upset her.
Some birds bond for life and will never accept another companion. Others can resist a companion at first but then get used to them. This is breeding season. I would think she would be accepting of another bird right now.
My first suggestion would be to get a mirror and put it in her cage and see if that helps calm her down. Just seeing another finch like her buddy might help. Then, if you want to try getting another bird (which I would definitely do if she accepts the mirror bird), get one and put it in a separate cage right beside this one. Don't just put it smack into her cage. She could attack it for not being her buddy or for territorial invasion. But if the new bird is sitting in its own cage (can be a small travel cage for the trial) and yours acts like she wants to go be with it, then put them together for short periods of time at first and watch them carefully to be sure she doesn't attack the new bird. If they are compatible, then you've got yourself a new pair and Roxy has a new best friend. Also, it would be wise to keep the birds in separate cages for a while and watch the new bird's droppings, even have them checked out by a vet for parasites, etc., before you let them live together to be sure the new one is perfectly well.
One other thought that comes to mind is perhaps you had a male and female and did not know it. I confess I do not know how easy it is to tell the sexes of Blues. I'm used to the larger birds and using blood tests to be sure, as I paired and bred for sale. But a blood test is impractical on a finch as they really can't afford to lose any blood because of their small size!!! BUT, one could have killed the other since this is breeding season and birds, even finches, can get very aggressive towards one another, even those of the same sex.
I would suggest contacting a Blue breeder and find out more about their personalities and habits. And if you buy your second bird directly from a breeder, you can be more sure it will be a healthy one. The ones that end up in pet shops aren't always the best of the clutch.
I wish you luck and please know you have my sympathies in your loss. These little guys are really easy to get attached to. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions I might be able to answer.
Yes, get another bird. They become very attached.
xx
Here is an unusual bird
The lyre bird is a mimic, but does much more than just other birds! See link below.
Bird watching
I like to watch the birds out my kitchen window, but they spook easily, like every time we walk into the kitchen. I'd like to put a film on the window that would allow me to see out, but not be the mirror reflective type that would cause the birds to attack the window or try to fly through.
The only one I've found like that had a military camouflage pattern (not too lovely, LOL). I'm sick of searching, and was hoping somebody else had already found something. Oh, and the easier to apply, the better! Temporary/cling is fine, but I do have to be able to see out.
Thank you. Never in bird. I'm too lazy LOL :-) NM
x
Can you tell me where the bird story is?
Thanks
You mean the bird's tail? (sm)
It's fatty meat and tail bone. I think people leave it, but don't serve it.
Bird story
I just had to share this story with all.
This morning while downstairs doing laundry I hear my cats carrying on and on. I was concerned because the last time they were throwing such a fit our dog was choking and they cried to get my attention.
I walk in my den to see what was wrong and to my surprise sitting on my window ledge was a woodpecker pecking at the window. I shooed him away x5 but he kept coming back. I have never had this happen before.
I used to feed my feathered friends about 3 years ago but gave this up as our dog (german shorthair) started hunting them. While I know it is in his nature I just couldn't see baiting the birds for him.
Now I am wondering what has gotten into this little guy who is still looking in at me right now, not pecking at the glass but just watching, any ideas????
Torn Between Two Lovers, Feeling Like A Fool, Loving Both
nm
How is the bird who lost its buddy?
Responding to the post below about the dog made me think of the poster whose bird died. How is the little one doing? Did you get him a new friend?
If you didn't stuff it in the bird...
I would just wait until Thanksgiving to bake it.
Hey fellow bird watchers...
We added a new bird to our backyard list today - one that we have been waiting to have visit for six years. I must admit I had given up, as this is known to be a rural bird and we are just inside town. We have downy woodpeckers out the wazoo all day long, but today, much to my surprise and delight, we had a visit from a hairy woodpecker. He landed on the suet cage that I have hanging on the offce window so he was only about 4 feet away and I got a really good look at him. What a thrill! Now if I can just lure in that elusive pileated...
bird feeder . . . not birdeeder LOL nm
x
Animal lovers, be sure to watch/record Oprah today. sm
Lisa Ling is reporting on puppy mills. It looks like it will be a very powerful show. I know that 'dog people' have been trying for *years* to get Oprah to do a show on this, and I'm so glad she finally is. I desperately hope it will make a difference. The dogs in the mills have been suffering far too long. We need to put an end to puppy mills. Please, pass the word.
We have a barrel of bird seed that we keep in the basement.
A few years ago, when the contents got low, we found a 3-legged mouse trapped in there. The seed was low enough that he could not jump back out. Well, having had kept mice in the past (pet store varities) I put thick gloves on, caught him and set him up in a nice cage with all the stuff mice like. I would hold him every day and sign Micky, Micky Bo Bicky, banana fana fo ficky....and so on. Every day. But after two weeks I realized that he was not enjoying it. So, 3 legs and all, I took him out to our bottom field and let him loose. He ran and skipped to the closest tree and climbed that tree up about 15 feet. He then sat an a branch and gave me the evil eye. Didn't know he could do all that with just 3 legs.
Well, a few weeks later, guess who was back in the barrel? I got the heavy gloves out and went to reach for him, he FLEW up my hand, arm, jumped 15' across the room and ran under the door to freedom. Guess he really did have enough of my singing. Never saw him again. (was definitely him cause you can't miss noticing a 3-legged mouse). Oh well...
Saw a surviving baby bird today!
That snake got something in my yard, but today I saw a baby bird on the ground. Just like last year there is a baby thrasher (I think I called it a thrush last time?) with this cute, stubby little tail. He's all fluffy and as big as his parents except that he has a little stubby tail in place of their 4-inch long tails, LOL. He hops out into view, opens his mouth, and then a parent comes down and shoves food down his gaping gullet. Soooo cute.
I had Sasha tied up, guarding the front yard to keep the neighbor's cat away. Not sure where the snake is, but he should be stuffed for a couple of days, anyway.
Have seen lots of birds do this with those fake bird-like
sdf
The Bird Cage! I love that movie.
Hank Azaria is a hoot. In fact, all the principals do a great job.
MTness: The bird story below is so strange. (sm)
I'm so sorry for your loss as well. I cannot even imagine (and don't want to!) how hard that must be for both of you who posted about losing your sons.
That bird thing is so bizarre. I have heard of people having signs that loved ones are about to die but did you ever make any sense out of the bird??
yeah, what strange bird story?
I couldn't find it either.
I saw the bird story, but didn't catch
what was odd about it. You saw a huge bird on a roof in Florida, but I've been to Florida and there are some really big birds there, just like on our coast here in NC. I did't catch what was odd about it.
I was watching a bird at work today.
I could hear it calling, so I looked up and watched a hawk circling. He had a lot to say. I believe he had an opinion about the squirrel tail hanging from another plant-stocker's trailer. She usually adorns her cart with flowers, but she recently added a squirrel tail another worker gave her. It's not a plain squirrel tail; she adorned with pink ribbons.
(I'm not missing MT at all, LOL).
So it wasn't contest where they threw bird out of plane and
s
Reveling in adding a new bird to my life list
of birds I have seen - a red-breasted nuthatch - not common this far south - at my suet feeder when suddenly birds scattered and my resident Cooper's hawk almost hit the window in front of me. Don't think he scored this time.
Any idea how to keep cats out of bird nests in trees? sm
This is the 4th day in a row I have had to pick up a dead, mauled bird (3rd baby). I am assuming cats are the cause, since neighbors and I did not have a problem until this year, when we started seeing a couple of roaming cats. My dog is no help as he is still a puppy and is afraid of the cats. 
Anyway, does anyone know humane ways to keep cats from climbing the trees? I know, you can't fight nature, but thought I would ask anyway. Thank!
I ran over my science teacher at the dinner table because Big Bird said to. nm
nm
it takes 3 weeks for a baby bird to learn to
We have to watch the dogs and cats really close until all the babies leave the yard and it is a long three weeks. Our babies usually hide in the pumpkin patch during flight school with mama guarding from the fence.
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